Julie A. Jenkins

Assistant Professor of Anthropology

Julie Jenkins’ research examines a religious practice in Ghana that has not been the
subject of previous anthropological research, although has inspired debates, international
and national interventions, films, and legal sanctions. The form of female religious
affiliation to ‘Ewe’ shrines known as trokosi or fiasidi is commonly described as a form of ‘female ritual slavery’ and is the subject of
an extensive transnational abolition campaign. Protagonists of the campaign, largely
from faith-based NGOs, argue that trokosi are illegitimately initiated to specific shrines based on an offence committed by
another lineage member, acting as a perpetual figure of restitution. They also argue
that the initiates are forced to work for male priests, raped by these men, and stigmatized
in their communities because of their slave status. The highly publicized abolition
campaign stimulated a counter-campaign, led by a neo-traditional organization, that
argued that the initiates are Queen-Mothers (rather than slaves), role-models to their
lineage (rather than figures of restitution), and are socially privileged. Central
to these contestations has been the figure of the fiasidi, particularly those initiated to shrines in one locality, Klikor, where she based
her research; abolitionists define fiasidiwo as being a variant of trokosi, despite some key differences.

My research examines a religious practice in Ghana that has not been the subject of
previous anthropological research, although has inspired debates, international and
national interventions, films, and legal sanctions. The form of female religious affiliation
to ‘Ewe’ shrines known as trokosi or fiasidi is commonly described as a form of ‘female
ritual slavery’ and is the subject of an extensive transnational abolition campaign.
Protagonists of the campaign, largely from faith-based NGOs, argue that trokosi are
illegitimately initiated to specific shrines based on an offence committed by another
lineage member, acting as a perpetual figure of restitution. They also argue that
the initiates are forced to work for male priests, raped by these men, and stigmatized
in their communities because of their slave status. The highly publicized abolition
campaign stimulated a counter-campaign, led by a neo-traditional organization, that
argued that the initiates are Queen-Mothers (rather than slaves), role-models to their
lineage (rather than figures of restitution), and are socially privileged. Central
to these contestations has been the figure of the fiasidi, particularly those initiated
to shrines in one locality, Klikor, where I based my research; abolitionists define
fiasidiwo as being a variant of trokosi, despite some key differences.